Roll film container



Ju1yz9,1941. P, F, SPERRY 2,251,076

ROLL FILM CONTAINER Filed may 1o, 1959 f g 1 '-IIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIPatented `Fuly 29, 1941 ROLL FILM CONTAINER Philmore F. Sperry, Chicago,Ill.

Application May 10, 1939, Serial No. 272,891

3 Claims. (Cl. 20S-52) My invention relates to containers employed forpackaging photographic roll iilm when sold or sent to be developed, andmy main object is to provide a container which is suitable both for thespool of lilm as sold or exposed and for the reel of the iilm after ithad been developed A further object of the invention is to provide apackage containing a filler which retains the film spool in the properposition and against vibration or movement in the package.

A further object of the invention is to design the filler aforesaid tofacilitate the deposit of the lm spool in the package and in a manner tobe strong, hold its form, and be of light weight to save transportationand mailing costs.

A still further object of the invention is to design the said ller withmeans for seating the nlm reel against movement in the package.

An additional object of the invention is to construct the package simplyand on a very economical basis.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggestthemselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of theinvention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which-Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the novel container;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section showing the interior of thecontainer with a film spool deposited therein, the spool being partlybroken away;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the lm spool removed and adot-and-dash line indication of a nlm reel;

Fig, 4 is a transverse vertical section through the center of Fig. 2with the container closed and with an enclosed nlm spool positionedtherein;

Fig. 5 is a similar section of Fig. 3 but with an open nlm reelpositioned therein; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line I- of Fig. 3.

Spools of roll-film as usually sold for amateur motion-picture use areplaced in round boxes which are packed in cartons. After the user hasexposed the nlm he replaces the box or spool in the carton and takes ormails the package to the proper agency to have it developed. When thishas been done, the lilm is on a reel which is contained in a package ofcommensurate size, such package being mailed back to the user or held atthe agency until he calls for it. In the novel embodiment I provide apackage which is usable both to contain the exposed nlm and its spoolduring transport to the developing agency and to contain the developedlm and its reel when the same is returned to the user in a form to bemounted in the motion-picture projector.

In accordance with the foregoing, the container/ is primarily apasteboard carton I0 of square form and extended with a cover ap II andside tabs l2 in the usual manner.

In order that the carton I6 may be adapted for the packaging of the filmbox I3, a fiat filler I4 of relatively thick pasteboard is employed. Thefiller is of a size to snugly t the interior of the carton I0 when-deposited therein, and has side wings Isa to fit in the end portions ofthe carton, the wings being cut back with medial recesses I5.

The liller Id is pressed with a D-shaped formation I6 which appears inrelief in the channel or hollow ofthe filler. The formation I6 meets thefiller roundedly on its inner side but has an enlargement Il on itsouter side formed as a rim, the outer wall Ila of the enlargementmeeting the ller I4 at the bottom. The sides Ilia of the formation I6first have a bridge I8 between them, the side portions of the bridgemeeting the iiller I4; then both the sides Ita of the formation I6 andthe sides lla of the rim Il take gradual tapers ISU and I'Ib to meet thefiller evenly near its outer edge. f'

With the ller I4 inserted in the carton It as indicated, it forms notonly a reinforcement for the side wall Illa of the carton, but the wingsIt form a reinforcement for the end walls thereof. The inner contour oryspacing of the rim I'I provides a seat to receive the lm boX I3; andthe formation I6 and bridge I8 provide a substantial seat for one faceof the box, as is evident from Figs. 2 and 4. The tapered portion ISb ofthe formation facilitates the insertion of the lm box I3 into thepackage to occupy the position shown. The capacity of the carton I0 isso calculated that the inserted nlm box is snugly fitted between theformation I6 of the ller and the side wall Illb of the carton. The tabsI2 may now be turned in and the cover flap II tucked in to close thecarton in the usual way. The front of side wall Ib of the carton hassuitable address data, as indicated in Fig. 1, for the proper deliveryor mailing of the package to the developing agency.

When the film has been developed, it is usually wound on a reel I9suitable to be mounted in the motion picture projector. 'I'he reel isusually considerably larger than the original spool and is thereforereturned in a different carton of commensurate size. In the presentinstance, however, this is unnecessary, as the original carton is of asufficient size to receive the reel. Figs. 3 and 5 show the reeldeposited in the carton. In order to do this, the reel is inserted inthe manner of the spool in the previous instance, but is positionedbetween the rim l1 of the filler I4 and the side Wall lb of the carton.Also, the side portions of the reel are positioned in the recesses l5 ofthe filler wings I4, the ends Nia of such recesses forming abutments toprevent the reel from rolling or sliding out of the carton should thecover flap Il be insufficiently closed.

It will be evident from the above description that I have provided apackage which renders a complete service for the user of amateur motionpicture iilm, By means of the novel ller i4 the iilm box may be safelystored in the package or mailed to the user; also, the package affordsthe user a simple and safe carrier for the delivery or forwardingr ofthe exposed film to the developing agency. Further, the package is handyfor use to return the developed lm on the larger reel, savingfthe costof another package for this purpose. From the viewpoint of economy, thecarton l is of the conventional, inexpensive type; and the ller M is acommon grade of pasteboard, stamped and cut in one or two operations bymachine, so that the added expense of the filler for the initial packageis easily offset by the elimination of the second or return package fromthe service. Altogether, the improved package is an exceedingly simple,safe and handy medium for a modern and eiiicient nlm service in theamateur motion picture eld.

While I have described the novel roll lm container along speciiic lines,various minor changes and refinements may be made therein withoutdeparting from its principle, and I desire to consider all such changesand refinements as coming within the scope and spirit of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

l. A combined lm roll and lm reel container, comprising a. carton openat the top and having side, end and bottom walls, a reinforcing llerwithin said container in flat contact with one side wall, said fillerhaving a snug fit between said end walls, an integral inwardly directedU-shaped projection formed on said iiller toward the opposite side wall,a second inwardly directed U- shaped projection formed integral with theouter marginal portions of said first projection and projecting inwardlybeyond the same towards said opposite sidewall, said second projectionterminating short of the opposite side wall of said carton to provide aspace therebetween, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The structure of claim l, and a horizontal rib integral with saidfiller, said rib projecting inwardly towards said opposite side Wall,said rib being ush with said iirst projection and connecting the legsthereof.

3. The structure of claim 1 and the free ends of the legs of both ofsaid projections being beveled towards the open top of said carton.

PHILMORE F. SPERRY.

